I totally agree that the slayers in training are annoying, and have bad accents, except the one that is supposedly going to be Willow's new squeeze (I can't remember any of their names). I'm glad the Scoobies finally did something to prove they're tough enough. I was sick to death of hearing them whine, what a bunch of pusses! I thought it was a good episode, and the end fight was great, although I don't like to see Buffy even a little bested. I'm also starting to see they do plan to get rid of Buffy,since bringing her back from the dead screwed up the serenity of the cosmic hoozywhatsit, it makes sense that if they do kill her, everything will go back to normal, no? Or is it too late, the cat being out of the bag an all?

Loved it. Liked it more than BotN, even. I thought Xander was particularly good - kind, steady, still funny, and extremely capable. The confusion in the house is annoying, but it was very clear - especially by the end - that Buffy and Willow and Xander are still totally connected and that they have their eyes on the prize. The chaos of the girls was a huge contrast to their focus and strength. Giles was being very Giles-like, threatening the demon guy and talking smack to the Whatsit Eye. Woo-hoo! And even though I'm not a Spuffy, I loved Buffy's inability to explain why Spike had to be rescued (how about, "because it's the right thing to do..."), and the tender scene at the end. Oh, and curiosity about the distrubance in the slayer line is going to keep me awake for weeks. Gah!

A whole season passed when Buffy was brought back to life (for the second time). Why didn't TFE come for the scoobies then? The lack of an answer to this question kind of rules out the resurrection being the cause of "the disruption" for me. Maybe Spike caused it when he got his soul. He went to get it because of the Slayer, so in a way, she is responsible for that...

I think the Chosen are the Slayers (plural, Faith & Buffy) & the Potentials. They are chosen above all others---and when one dies, the next in line steps up. Of course as Faith is actually THE Slayer, it will be her death that will move things along, and perhaps free Buffy up to go and live happily ever after? If that's the case, then I'm rooting for Kennedy.

Remember also, most Slayers were never expected to pass their 18th Birthday. Or was it their 20th? Anyway, Faith and Buffy have both passed that benchmark,and so could that be part of the disruption?

Then there's the whole pesky D-factor, as in Dawn. Yeah, she's 'the key' all green and glowing and pretty; Yeah, she's now a 'real girl'. Thing is, she was made from Buffy, so could that have made things a bit wonky in the Buffy-verse, along with all the other factors---could Dawn be another Potential Slayer?

Side note: Point has been made by both Giles and by Spike that with magic there is always consequences. Willow proved that last season. Spike now has his soul back, perhaps this was the catalystic consequence?

I think I'm over-thinking this one a bit, eh? Hmmm. Time, and perhaps Joss, will tell. :D

A bit anticlimatic, honestly. She did kill the ubervamp, but not in a particularly convincing way -- she could just as easily have lost again, the way that fight looked, and what kind of lesson would that have been? I'm just happy that we can get past the obligatory Spike-torturing scenes now. And please God, save us from more of that ridiculous accent.